The Ninth Gate
by apache tears
Summary: What happens after Abhorsen? Will Lirael ever heal or forgive Nick? Will Sabriel repair the bells? Will they help stop Hedge and Chlorr?
1. Default Chapter

**The Ninth Gate, Prologue**  
  
Lirael closed her eyes, the pain rushed through her body. A tickling but burning sensation went through her hand, if felt as if her old hand was there. She opened her eyes and wished she would she it, but all she saw was the blood coated stub. Ellimere and Sabriel knelt down beside her as she laid on the ground. Sabriel stood up and started to think what to do, suddenly she decided to would need to use a master charter mark to stop the blood flow. She started to draw the charter signs, one by one she drew them it was so powerful it burned and to made the charter spell. It was very painful, but to be honest she though it would be so a major master charter mark. Finally the mark was done, Ellimere sighed with relief as Lirael screamed and the blood stopped flowing and her arm started to heal.  
  
Sameth, Touchstone, Nicholas, Sanar and Ryelle stood back, watching as Sabriel drew the master charter mark. The smell of free magic was still it the air, it was vile and very nauseating. Sameth vomited as the acidic smell reached him, he reached for Touchstone's arm as he vomited again. His throat felt inflamed as the vomit kept coming, the taste is his mouth was sickening it tasted horrible. Sameth spat after the vomit stopped coming, trying to get the horrid taste out of his mouth. Nicholas rose slowly and told them of his tale and how the Disreputable Dog saved him, Lirael put her hand around her face as she heard of her Disreputable Dog; she wished she was back in the Clayr's library with the Disreputable Dog at her side.   
  
"Are you ok?" Touchstone said patting Sameth on the back.  
  
"Yeah...just about," Sameth looked up and turned towards Nicholas. "Nick!"  
  
"Sam." Nick said in response and he knelt down beside Sam, avoiding the vomit soiling the ground.   
  
"We have to move, it will not be long before the Dead will come." Sabriel said half sighing.   
  
Lirael stood up and covered her stub with her other arm, Ellimere drew close and gave her an embrace.  
  
"My father's bells are broken!" Sabriel looked down at the bandolier, wishing that her father was alive he would know what to do... 


	2. The Wind Mill

The Ninth Gate, The Windmill  
  
"How could you Nick?" Lirael roared as she walked towards him, she grabbed his top but fell on to the ground.   
  
For a moment everything was silent and no one dared to talk, but Ellimere broke this silence. Gently she pulled Lirael up and wiped the mud of her face, Lirael bowed her head and let out a hysterical cry. Nick stood back, avoided eye contact with any of them. A chill went down his spine as the guilty reached him, it was an awkward moment no one knew what to do. Eventually Sabriel motioned for Nick to come closer to her, after making sure it was out of Lirael's hearing distance she whispered into his ear 'Just give her some time, don't worry.' Nick nodded and walked towards Sameth slowly. Sameth acknowledged him with a glance and wiped his mouth from the hideous vomit, he held his sleeve to his nose the Free Magic was so nauseating.   
  
Sameth was still fixed on the spot where Orannis once stood, he could not believe it. It was not he did not want to believe it, it was just such a shock.   
  
"We best be moving, back to Abhorsen's house first of all," Touchstone said trying to break the tension. "After that we shall rebuild the Royal Palace."  
  
Sabriel nodded in agreement and started to cry a little bit, but she wiped her tears with her sleeve. She had to stay strong, to keep everyone's hopes up especially Lirael. Mogget was curled up on the floor, intertwined with all the ash on the ground. She gently picked him up and held him in her arms.  
  
"So are we home yet? I want some fish." Mogget said is his usual so grateful tone.  
  
"Well one thing we can always ensure is Mogget's sarcasm and pessimistic ness." Sabriel said rolling her eyes as she patted Mogget's fur.  
  
Mogget glared. "Don't touch the fur, now I am going to sleep. Wake me up if there is any fish."   
  
Sabriel gently shoved the little fluff ball in her bag, same old same old she thought. Sanar and Ryelle hugged Lirael and whispered soothing words in her ears, then the slowly turned to Sabriel.  
  
"We must be off, the Clayr needs us and just remember Lirael the Old Kingdom needs you." Sanar gracefully and Ryelle nodded in agreement.   
  
"We see great things for you Lirael," Ryelle said then coughed. "Kibeth or as you called her 'The Disreputable Dog' would wish for you to follow you path remember that. You finally found somewhere you fit in you, you will not get the sight but you shall be a great Abhorsen-in-waiting and maybe one day Ahborsen. It is your destiny follow it."  
  
Sabriel embraced the two Clayrs good bye and gracefully thanked them for their help.  
  
"Goodbye..." Lirael called out as Ryellle and Kibeth jumped into the Paper Wing decorated that of the Clayr. A tear went down Lirael's cheek, she turned as the twins flew off into the distance. She realised she was meant to live for so much more, but for some reason it seemed like it did not matter to her.   
  
Touchstone, Nick and Sameth turned to watch the Clayr fly off, it was a beautiful sight the colourful Paper Wing flying through the sky as the sun began to set. It become bitter, the wind against them but the Clayr managed to still fly. The temperature felt like freezing ice Sabriel thought and that was seldom of late, she found it rather amusing not that long ago the heat was unbearable.   
  
"We must start moving, we'll set off at dawn to Abhorsen's house from there we shall contemplate our next move and arrange for Nick to go home." Sabriel announced using an administrative tone, as if she wished not to be questioned.  
  
"But where are we going to sleep tonight?" Ellimere enquired a slight tone of insecure ness in her voice.  
  
Looking up Nick sighed. "The mill not far from here," he pointed to what was left of the mill. "It looks just about hospitable."  
  
"Maybe, Sabriel what do you think?" Touchstone said whilst he raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I guess it will do for tonight." Sabriel sighed and turned to Lirael. "Coming?"  
  
"Yeah, I just need some time alone..." Lirael responded.  
  
"Ok then, don't stay outside to long you might catch a cold." She gave Lirael a hug and ripped off her cloak. "Here you might need it."  
  
Lirael took the cloak without questioning Sabriel. "Thanks..."  
  
So they made their way to the ruins of the mill, inside it was dark but they found an oil lamp, some candles and various others supplies from food, fold up beds and first aid boxes. The sun had set now, outside it was dark and the wind hit the walls and the window howling in a rather peculiar way. Nick and Sameth shared one bed, they were deeply engrossed in conversation whilst eating some bread, drinking some beverage and cleaning themselves with damp clothes. Touchstone and Ellimere sat on separate beds, staring out of the window neither dared to talk, their food, beverages laid untouched. They held the clothes in their hands gently they wiped the dirt. Sabriel sat on a stool by the door, a blanket wrapped around her she kept staring at the door handle. Mogget laid besides her, frantically pulling the bones away from virtually a skeleton fish. Her claws dug at what was left of the fish, devouring it like a homeless person would.   
  
Sabriel took a bite of the bread and spat it out, she felt ailing and that loaf of bread was not fresh unlike the others. She wished Lirael would be here soon, she was fixed on the door waiting, waiting and waiting.   
  
Lirael laid down on the ground, crying and screaming cries hopelessness. She wished the Disreputable Dog were with her; she did not want to believe she was gone. Tears fell from her cheek and did not stop falling, she was drenched to the bone. Soaked even with Sabriel's cloak, her hair intertwined with twigs, flowers, dirt and who knows what else. The stub was stinging and violent repulsive stomach churning jolt went through her body and she vomited, her vomit kept coming soiling the ground as Sameth's did.   
  
"Nick how could you? Dog! Dog! Where are you?" she shrieked. "Don't leave me! Come back!"   
  
Eventually she came to her senses and started going towards the mill, a storm was brewing and thunder coating the sky in a violet glow. It was magnificent to behold, but altogether she was petrified as she banged on the door.  
  
Sabriel jumped and hastened to open the door, Lirael ran in and leapt into Sabriel's arms. Tears were all over the place, she was soaked to the extreme and looked rather like a drowning rat. Touchstone leapt up and closed the door, he bolted it afterwards for safety although he thought it wad petty protection.   
  
"Lirael!" Sabriel grinned and pulled of her cloak. "Thank the Abhorsen's your all right."   
  
"Lirael, I'm sorry..." Nick said rather in a mumble and then turned to look at the floor.   
  
"Nick don't worry..." Lirael smoothly said forgiving him. "The Dog willed it so,,," she tried to smile slightly.  
  
Touchstone grabbed a chair and broke it into piece, in the windmill they found some matched he lighted a fire made from the chairs.  
  
"Come here Aunty Lirael," Ellimere said. "You will have to get changed now. Never mind you can borrow mine until we get to Abhorsen's house."  
  
The next morning they set off... 


End file.
